Brian Walsh (Galway West, Independent)
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177. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if an application for a carer's allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Galway will be reviewed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21460/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The person concerned was refused carers allowance on the grounds that the care recipient is not so disabled as to require full time care and attention as prescribed in regulations. The person in question was notified on the 11th of February 2013 of this decision, the reason for it and of her right of review and appeal.

The person concerned appealed this decision and the case was submitted to the Social Welfare Appeals office for determination. An Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, disallowed the appeal of the person concerned. The person concerned was notified on the 15th May 2014 of the Appeals Officer decision and was provided at that time with a detailed explanation of the basis for this decision to disallow the appeal.

Under Social Welfare legislation, the decision of an Appeals Officer is final and conclusive and may only be reviewed in the light of additional evidence or new facts. Correspondence received from the person concerned was forwarded to the Social Welfare Appeals Office for their consideration. However the Social Welfare Appeals Office wrote to the person concerned on the 19th of August 2014 advising that no new information had been presented to warrant a change in the Appeals Officer decision.

It is open to the person in question to submit a new application for carer's allowance if she wishes.